Disney has shared the best look yet at the inside of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World and its finale, a first listen of the song ‘Special Spice’ that was made specifically for the attraction, and much more.
This preview was part of the second episode of Walt Disney Imagineering’s We Call It Imagineering YouTube series, and the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure segment begins around 16:15 in the video right here. Grammy Award-winning artist PJ Morton and Walt Disney Imagineering global music executive Tricia Holloway are the pair that walk us through this new look, and it’s a big moment as Morton was the one behind ‘Special Spice’ and he gets to hear his song for the first time.
Revealed on the Disney Parks Blog, Disney Imagineers worked with Morton in New Orleans to “score a lyrical love letter to the city for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.” While they also recorded some “new renditions of favorite tunes” from The Princess and the Frog, they also brought to life ‘Special Spice’ with the help of Anika Noni Rose, the original voice of Princess Tiana.
As for the video, it cuts between the ride cam of Morton and Holloway and an in-depth look at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in action. Throughout the footage, we get a glimpse of the Mardi Gras party Tiana is throwing her community to thank them for their support and the Audio-Animatronics of old and new characters, including Tiana, Prince Naveen, Prince Ralphie, Louis, Mama Odie, and the critters that were created just for this attraction.
‘Special Spice’ is also playing as they go through the ride, and fans will be happy to know that the full song will be released across all streaming platforms on May 31 to help get you excited for the attraction.
Elsewhere in the Disney Parks blog, we learn that the attraction queue will also be a joy to go through as you’ll hear a radio program on a New Orleans station that will be playing authentic jazz versions of such favorite The Princess and the Frog songs as ‘Down in New Orleans,’ ‘Ma Belle Evangeline,’ and more. Oh, and that’s in addition to the smell of beignets that will probably make a lot of us very hungry!
Seven-time Grammy-winner Terence Blanchard, who was a featured musician in the film, was in charge of the music for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’s queue and is just another example of how much of New Orleans the team is putting into this experience.
Furthermore, fans will get to hear a rendition of Louis Armstrong’s ‘Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans’ by none other than Leah Chase Jr. herself. For those unfamiliar, Leah Chase Jr.’s mother, Leah Chase, was one of the inspirations for The Princess and the Frog and is a huge part of its history and New Orleans culture.
If that isn’t enough Tiana’s Bayou Adventure-goodness for you, Disney Parks also revealed on Instagram the attraction’s sign and that the construction walls are officially down.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which is replacing Splash Mountain, will open at Walt Disney World on June 28, 2024, and later in the year at Disneyland.
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Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.
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